Straw-cutter



S. ELLIOTT.

Straw Cutter.

No. 23,909. 'Patented May 10, 1859.

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STEPHEN ELLIOTT, OF RICHMOND, INDIANA.

STRAIN-CUTTER.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 23,909, dated May 10, 1859-.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN ELLIOTT, of Washington, in the county ofWayne and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements inStraw-Outters; and I do hereby declare the following is a full and exactdescription thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawingsand to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in the hereinafter describedarrangement of board E, cross piece F, rods I and G, and lever H, withboards B and D, canvas C, rods R and S and lever Q.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention I willproceed to describe its construction and operation.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the straw cutter. Fig. 2 is a sectionrepresenting my improvements. Fig. 3 is also a section representing myimprovements. Fig. 4 also represents a part of my improvements, all ofwhich I will more fully explain by reference to the parts of each figureby letters.

Letters A, A, in Fig. 1 represent the sides of the cutting box eachsecured to two legs which legs are secured to a cross piece intended tolie upon the floor the two sides A, A, being secured to the boards B andD form the cutting box.

Letter B is a board forming the bottom at the back end of the box as maybe seen in Fig. 1 and Fig. 3.

Letter O is a canvas forming the bottom of the box in the middle and maybe seen in Fig. 1, Fi 2 and Fig. 3.

Letter B, represents a board forming the bottom in the front part of thebox and may be seen in Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and Fig. 3.

Letter E, represents an inclined board elevated at the back end, seen inFig. 1 and Fig. 2. This board should have a pin driven into each edgenear the back end which should each work in a slot cut in each side ofthe box at the proper height from the canvas.

Letter F, represents a rock shaft or cross piece working on journals,and to which is attached the bent rod G and the lever II as may be seenin Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and Fig. 4.

Letter G, is the bent rod as seen in Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and Fig. 4. I

Letter H, is the lever as seen in Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and Fig. 4.

Letter I is a rod linked to the end of lever H and secured to the backpart of the board E by means of a staple passed through an eye in theback end of said rod I, as is shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2.

Letter J is the cutting knife in the sash as seen at Fig. 1, and Fig. 2.

Letter K is the sash or gate as seen in Fig. 1, and Fig.2 to which theknife J is attached.

Letters L, L, are two spiral springs attached to the underside of thecross piece M and top side of the board E, for the purpose of pressingdown the board E, as is shown in Fig. 1.

Letter M is the cross piece to which the spiral springs L, L, areattached.

Letter N is a cross piece secured to the two front legs.

Letter 0 is a spiral spring resting on the cross piece N and supportingthe gate on sash K.

Letter P is a rod attached to the sash K at the bottom and passesthrough the spiral spring 0 and through the cross piece N and is securedto the lever Q.

Letter Q, is a foot lever secured to one of the legs of the box by meansof a pin or bolt upon which it vibrates with the assistance of the footof the operator, this lever Q may also be seen at Fig. 3.

Letter R is a rod or lever attached to one of the rollers upon which thecanvas works I about two inches above the bottom edge of the sides.

Holes should be bored in the sides of the box so that the rollers T, T,will clear the boards B and I) when the canvas is, stretched on saidrollers and the ends brought together and sewed, the canvas should notrub against the boards B and D. The boards B and D and canvas C shouldbe of an equal height, the rollers T, T, should be provided with ournalsat each end. Said rollers may be about three inches in diameter.

The sash K is provided with slides in which it works up and down as inmost other straw cutters.

Operation: Straw is placed between the canvas O, and board E, which ispressed down by means of the springs L, L. The foot of the operator isplaced upon the lever Q, which being pressed down, draws down the sashand compresses the spring 0, as the sash is drawn down it brings with itthe bent rod G which gives motion to the cross piece F and b means ofthe lever H and rod I the boar E is moved toward the back end of thebox, and as the lever Q is pressed down it brings the rod S and lever B,which cause the canvas to move or roll toward the back end of themachine, and when the foot is removed from lever Q the sash as well aslever Q, is thrown up by means of the spiral spring 0, and the reversemotion takes place with the canvas C and the board E bringing with themthe straw preparatory to another stroke of the knife.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent isThe arrangement of board E, cross piece F rods I and G and lever H, withboards B and D, canvas C, rods R and S, and lever Q, the whole beingconstructed as and for the purposes herein set forth.

STEPHEN ELLIOTT.

Witnesses:

THos. A. DUGDALE, JOHN FINLEY.

